Mrs. Willet and her daughter Violet, recent arrivals from South Africa, have leased Sittaford House near Dartmoor for the winter from its owner, Captain Trevelyan. They have invited several local residents to Sittaford House on a snowy day that soon cuts them off from the rest of the world. Someone suggests table turning to pass the time, and all are shocked when the letters spell out a message that Captain Trevelyan has been murdered. It doesn't take the police long to learn that Captain Trevelyan's nephew – and one of the heirs in his will – is in the area and doesn't have an alibi. His fiancee, Emily Trefusis, undertakes her own investigation to make sure that an innocent man isn't hanged for murder.

Several of Christie's earlier mysteries feature young adult amateur sleuths who figure more prominently than the police. They're usually energetic and determined, and the young women are always clever and bold. Emily Trefusis is no exception, but she disappointed me with her rationale for a decision she makes at the end of the book. I had read this recently enough that I remembered the murderer's identity and motive. Despite being aware of this from the beginning, I still couldn't see how Emily figured out how the murder must have happened. It all made perfect sense once she explained it. ( )

Despite ITV twisting this to be a Marple story, Marple (nor Poirot) is anywhere to be found in this story. Instead we have an intelligent young woman who gets involved investigating a murder when her fiancée gets accused of doing the crime.

Big houses, death of the owner, small villages, suspicious characters, ouija boards predicting death (apparently correctly), money, snow drifts on Dartmoor and an escaped prisoner from the local criminal mental facility all leads to a compact mystery story.

Christie does write rather strong, forward women investigators, especially if they're on the young side - lots of vigour etc. ( )

To M.E.Mwith whom I discussed the plot of this book,to the alarm of those around us.

First words

Major Burnaby drew on his gum boots, buttoned his overcoat collar round his neck, took from a shelf near the door a hurricane lantern, and cautiously opened the front door of his little bungalow and peered out.

Wikipedia in English (1)

It was only a parlor game intended to while away the hours on a bitter winter night. but when the psychic table turning pronounced Captain Trevelyan "dead," the guests at Sittaford House became nervous.And when, a few hours later, Major Burnaby discovers the body, the game becomes an eerie and baffling murder case.

Inspector Narracott for the police and Miss Emily Trefusis, hoping to clear her fiance, delve deep into the spirit world - to find a very human murderer.

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"You mean, Major Burnaby, that he table speleld out the name of Trevelyan and informed you that he was dead - murdered?"

Major Burnaby wiped his forehead. "Yes, that's what happened. Naturally I didn't believe in it. BUt, well, it was Friday and I thought after all I would go along to Trevelyan's and see if everything was all right."

Inspector Narracott reflected on the difficulties of that six mile walk, with the piled-up snowdrifts and the prosepect of a heavy snowfall, and he realized that deny it as he would Major Burnaby must have been deeply impressed by the spirit message.

A very queer business altogether but, as far as he could see, it had no practical bearing on the case. It was his job to track down the murder. And to do that he required no guidance from the spirit world!

M-U-R-D-E-R. It began as an innocent parlor game intended to while away the hours on a bitter winter night. But the message that appeared before the amateur occultists snowbound at the Sittaford House was spelled out as loud and clear as a scream. Of course, the notion that they had foretold doom was pure bunk. Wasn't it? And the discovery of a corpse was pure coincidence. Wasn't it? If they're to discover the answer to this baffling murder, perhaps they should play again. But a journey into the spirit world could prove terribly dangerous--especially when the killer is lurking in this one.

In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor, six shadowy figures huddle around a small round table for a seance. Tension rises as the spirits spell out a chilling message: 'Captain Trevelyan. dead. murder'. Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke? The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan. Unfortunately, his home is six miles away and, with snow drifts blocking the roads, someone will have to make the journey on foot.… (more)